Secular Humanism and the "Center for Inquiry"

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Geremia said:
Does anyone know of any good Catholic apologetics against secular humanism and/or the Center for Inquiry?
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I think a good starting point is to look at what Pope Benedict has been responding to as a “positive secularism.”

he recently said in France,

“It is through the search for God that the secular sciences take on their importance.”

“At this moment in history, when cultures continue to cross paths more frequently, I am firmly convinced that a new reflection on the true meaning and importance of secularism is now necessary,”
 
Psychotheosophy said:
he recently said in France
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Here is what he said about secularism on his flight to France this 12 September.
Fr Federico Lombardi, S.J., Director of the Holy See Press Office: “France, are you faithful to your Baptismal promises?” John Paul II asked in 1980 during his first trip there. Today, what will your message be to the French? Do you think that, due to secularism, France is losing its Christian identity?
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Benedict XVI: It seems to me obvious today that secularism in itself is not in opposition to the faith. I would even say that it is a fruit of the faith because the Christian faith was a universal religion from the very start and consequently could not be identified with any single State; it is present in all States and different in these States. It has always been clear to Christians that religion and faith are not politics but another sphere of human life… Politics, the State, were not a religion but rather a secular reality with a specific role… and the two must be open to each other. In this regard, I would say that today, for the French, and not only for the French, for us Christians in today’s secularized world, it is important to live the freedom of our faith joyfully, to live the beauty of faith and to make visible in the world today that it is beautiful to be a believer, that it is beautiful to know God, God with a human face in Jesus Christ… thus to show that it is possible to be a believer today and even that it is necessary for contemporary society that people exist who know God and can therefore live in accordance with the great values he has given to us and contribute to the presence of values that are fundamental to the construction and survival of our States and our societies.
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I could not find the speech to which you specifically referred on the Vatican website.
 
Geremia said:
I could not find the speech to which you specifically referred on the Vatican website.
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The link to the quotes is:

nytimes.com/2008/09/13/world/europe/13pope.html

forgive me if anything is taken out of context.

The Center of Inquiry claims, from your link, that is it is the, “authoritative and credible voice defending the scientific outlook in examining religion.”

How could you help them examine the Catholic faith, knowing that they are scientists?

You seem familiar with them.

Sometimes a good offense is a good defense,
and often when the offense is designed for peace.
 
Psychotheosophy said:
You seem familiar with them.

Sometimes a good offense is a good defense,
and often when the offense is designed for peace.
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Yes, I have met some, and they are vehemently anti-religion and anti-God. They need our prayers.

I think this “secular humanism” problem originates from both secularism and relativism, topics on which there exist many Catholic apologetics.
 
Geremia said:
Yes, I have met some, and they are vehemently anti-religion and anti-God. They need our prayers.

I think this “secular humanism” problem originates from both secularism and relativism, topics on which there exist many Catholic apologetics.
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Wouldn’t any ideology that promotes free thinking actually lead to Catholicism if logical thought was used? I would think the Church would support free thinkers.
 
DD2007 said:
Wouldn’t any ideology that promotes free thinking actually lead to Catholicism if logical thought was used? I would think the Church would support free thinkers.
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Your answer is in your question. The current school of thought parading under the banner of ‘Secular Humanism’ as we know it only pretends to logic when in actuality it presupposes many things contrary to free thought.
 
DD2007 said:
Why would the Church want one? It looks like a pretty cool site to me.

What is wrong with secular humanism?
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Do you really think we take you seriously? You have still not answered my question? Are you a Catholic Convert or a …?😃
 
Le_Chiot_Noir said:
Your answer is in your question. The current school of thought parading under the banner of ‘Secular Humanism’ as we know it only pretends to logic when in actuality it presupposes many things contrary to free thought.
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Please, I am not trying to challenge you.

Are you saying that the current school of thought of “Secular Humanism” initially requires a rejection of religion before it begins to use logic, which would not allow the freedom to choose religion after using logic?
 
Psychotheosophy said:
Please, I am not trying to challenge you.

Are you saying that the current school of thought of “Secular Humanism” initially requires a rejection of religion before it begins to use logic, which would not allow the freedom to choose religion after using logic?
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I apologize-- I was taking shortcuts, and admittedly do not know enough about Secular Humanism to really be saying anything. From an initial encounter with a single adherent, and from a very cursory skimming of the web page, all I have are speculations.

So in an attempt to be helpful, I confess I was a little too free to share what only amounts to impressions, and one of those impressions is that Secular Humanism does presuppose being ‘outside of religion’, by its very nature of being distinct from other religions as a sort of new ‘pseudo-religion’.

Alas, I have no facts-- certainly not about how SH thinking begins or ends-- and I thank you for calling me on it; I wasn’t sure otherwise how to bow out of this thread, whew!

If this thread goes on, I hope to learn more about SH, what it’s all about, and what it means to Catholics.
 
Geremia said:
Yes, I have met some, and they are vehemently anti-religion and anti-God. They need our prayers.

I think this “secular humanism” problem originates from both secularism and relativism, topics on which there exist many Catholic apologetics.
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If you don’t mind, I have a few more questions:

I trust your knowledge in secularism.

I think there might be some secularists who aren’t anti-religion or anti-God.

Your link to secularism states:

"Secularism is a code of duty pertaining to this life founded on considerations purely human, and intended mainly for those who find theology indefinite or inadequate, unreliable or unbelievable. Its essential principles are three:
  1. The improvement of this life by material means.
  2. That science is the available Providence of man.
  3. That it is good to do good."
I understand that “positive secularism” would make faith in God the principle that guides secularism. So it seems that:
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1. We could improve the lives of others by corporal works of mercy
2. Science could provide for man if it uses faith as it's guide
3. And of course it is good to do good if the good is done under faith in God.
Could you please comment?
 
DD2007 said:
Wouldn’t any ideology that promotes free thinking actually lead to Catholicism if logical thought was used? I would think the Church would support free thinkers.
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No, because there are truths our intellect cannot attain. From St. Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica (Prima Pars Question 1 Article 1):
It was necessary for man’s salvation that there should be a knowledge revealed by God besides philosophical science built up by human reason.
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Geremia said:
No, because there are truths our intellect cannot attain. From St. Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica (Prima Pars Question 1 Article 1):
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Since there are truths our intellect cannot attain,
then shouldn’t we instruct those current or former secularists,
who are open to what those intellectually unattainable truths are?

Isn’t “instruction” a spiritual work of mercy?

Should we just hand them a Bible?
 
Geremia said:
In short, it glorifies man, not God.
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If it glorifies anything, which it certainly does not, it glorifies knowledge and reason, and asserts that humans have the capacity to solve problems, and therefore need not indulge in theologies of despair and violence.

Come to think of it, it says to do exactly what the gospel protagonist Jesus did, for the most part anyway.
 
crowonsnow said:
If it glorifies anything, which it certainly does not, it glorifies knowledge and reason, and asserts that humans have the capacity to solve problems, and therefore need not indulge in theologies of despair and violence.

Come to think of it, it says to do exactly what the gospel protagonist Jesus did, for the most part anyway.
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I’m confused.

Are you saying that secular humanism does not glorify knowledge and reason, but solves problems of despair and violence?
 
Psychotheosophy said:
I’m confused.

Are you saying that secular humanism does not glorify knowledge and reason, but solves problems of despair and violence?
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That’s essentially correct.

Whereas many theologies incorporate violence and despair as part of the solution, secular humanism relies on reason and knowledge to address and solve problems and in effect says that humanity needn’t rationalize poverty and war and disease by saying that we are somehow depraved or guilty or deserving.
 
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